The Runner

After the longest time spent laughing on the floor of the arena, I had definitely burned enough calories leave my stomach demanding to be fed and decided to concede to its demand. That's another thing you need to know about me; I always need food, the ADHD saps all of my energy and that means I constantly need more!

I jogged to the dining pavilion, still giggling to myself. The other campers gave me disgusted side glances as I bounded past them. I caught snatches of conversation that floated as I passed.

"Weird-"

"Not even her dad wants her-"

"Unclaimed-"

"She's been here a month-"

I slowed my pace as I mulled the thoughts over in my mind. Why didn't my dad want me? Why couldn't the others accept me? What was I doing wrong?

I reached the pavilion and grabbed a plate, my good vibe officially killed. I made my offering to my dad... whoever that was... before sitting down at the end of the Hermes table I had been shunned to in my early weeks at camp.

"Sup, weirdo!" A Hermes boy named Cam grinned evilly from the other end of the table. "What ya doing all the way down there? Come and join us." He chuckled at his own joke and was quickly joined by a chorus of laughs from his friends.

I ducked my head and immersed myself in my porridge. "Stop it, Cameron." I muttered.

"What was that, creep?" He shouted down the table.

I didn't answer, I just buried myself in eating my breakfast so I could leave as soon as possible.

I still didn't understand why I didn't fit in at camp. Everyone kept telling me that I'd fit in in time and this was my rightful place but I was becoming seriously doubtful that it would ever happen. I just didn't... click... here. Like something was just wrong with me and it would never be right.

I heaved myself from the table with a sigh, returning my bowl to be washed by the harpies. I tripped on a foot and fell hard to the stone floor before I could return the bowl, smashing the porcelain against the floor. I glared back at Cam who was laughing with his friends again, casting me overbearing glances down their crooked noses.

I groaned and scooped up the shattered shards, throwing them in a rubbish bin that stood beside the bowls, my 'incident' was not uncommon at mealtimes.

I stormed away from the the pavilion with my thoughts like thunder in my mind. I couldn't stay here.

I just couldn't.

Notes